The Corsette Makes the Man
by Shini-neko-chan
Summary: A request fic, set around the 1900s, with cross-dressing!Fenris and Garrett Hawke.


AN: A fic prompt from a friend on tumblr. It was NOT supposed to be this long! Oh well, enjoy it 3

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><p>He'd escaped. He'd finally escaped from that oppressive house that had made him work until his fingers were raw. But now he was far away from that now, and the culture around him was far different. The revolt had led to many of them leaving, some covertly, others openly. He had been a favored one, and his leaving had likely turned the entire house upside down. But he had to be cautious still. He was sure his former master would search him out and find him. The tattoos that traced down from his lower lips and beneath the scarf that wrapped around his neck and over his head were noticeable and he often kept his head tilted down. He was thankful that the scarf succeeded in covering his ears as well, though nothing could be done for his skin tone. Everyone here was some shade of pale tan, and his own complexion was that of a warm beverage.<p>

And so, that's what had him walking the street until someone saw him and promptly dragged him into a fitting shop. He heard the words "perfect for it" and the headscarf was stripped from him without his consent. He tried to interject a word in edgewise, but he was being fussed over by people unbraiding his hair. It wasn't until they tried to fit him into a corset that he snapped enough to make them stop.

"You see ser, we need someone of your height, physique and skin type... Our princess isn't coming." The words meant nothing to him and he folded his arms over his chest.

"I fail to see how I, a MAN if you hadn't noticed, could replace your princess. Furthermore, do you OFTEN accost people right off the street?" His glare made two of the three people cringe back just a little, but the third one, shorter than even he was, stepped forward and jabbed a finger into his chest.

"That will be quite enough. I know this is sudden but we need help and if your getup was anything to go by, you need help hiding from someone or something. So stop complaining and let us work."

The fact that this little FEMALE had dared to get so close had him standing there with his mouth hanging open. He barely heard her saying "No complaints? GOOD." before everything but his smallclothes were stripped from him.

Then he suffered silently. Not because he wanted to, but because the corset that they were strapping on him was quickly stealing the air from his lungs. His waist was pinched in further and the ties were fastened behind him tightly and he could understand why several women would often have their hands pressed to their lower abdomen. It was how he was standing now, and a little bent over as he tried to learn to breath again.

He was barely given a reprieve though as his new tailors pulled on a slip over his head and petticoats as well that were yanked down to cover legs that were lined as well. It wasn't long before one of them was sliding garters up over his legs as well, followed quickly by stockings, and his manner of hopping on one foot seemed to amuse them.

Soon enough, his feet were clad, for the first time, in a pair of low-heeled shoes and stockings, and the rest of him in six tiered layers of ruffles from the waist down. A bustle made the back lift up, and two ribbons were set over his shoulder holding his non-existant chest in place. He took as deep of breaths as he posibly could and stared at the three that were eyeing him critically. When one gripped his chin, he almost bit them, then was patted lightly as they inspected his face and the hair that was falling around it. She even leaned down and stared at his eyes.

"Forest green. Get an ice blue trim for the lace, black jacket. Now."

As if they were trained to it, the other two girls stopped fussing with his ruffles and he straightened up as much as he could. Loose, his hair fell down over his chest, past the corset's top by a couple of inches, and he twitched just the barest bit as he was forced to sit on the stool by the woman that had yanked him down in the first place, a course brush run through the soft strands.

It seemed like it was a good thing his hair was long as she pulled it straight back from his face, the shorter fringe easily flipping back to hang in his eyes. "Does it occur to you that I have yet to agree to this? The only reason I am not being violent with you is because I cannot breathe!"

"It doesn't matter. We need you, we'll pay you, and you can just shut up about a little bit of work on the side."

He was about to open his mouth to tell her that she could stuff her need in the privy, but the words 'pay you' made him pause. He did need the money, and apparently he looked...well feminine enough, to pass for their designs. After a moment of her fussing with his hair, he broke the silence again. "What exactly would you have me do then?"

He could almost hear the grin behind him before the slightly lilted voice told him what he needed to know. "Well you see, our princess has decided to run off for marriage, but there's been such a hubbub about her coming here that we can't NOT have her here, you see? And you, my friend, look a lot like her, even down to your gorgeous green eyes. Granted, your corsette's gonna be a bit tight on you, and you lack definable breasts, but that's not gonna matter."

"And..how long...?" He was weary of it already, but the promise of pay and quite possibly not having to use that money for anything but what he wanted while doing this was making him a bit more fond of the idea. The fact that he could hide while in plain sight would be wonderful.

"A month, maybe more. We just have to see how it goes." His hair was pulled back tight enough that he was wincing a little from it, then he felt some it falling over his ears, curling up around the tips. "How do you feel about piercings?" A finger trailed along the elongated shell of his ear and he jerked to the side without thinking about it. "Is that a no?"

"I... never considered it." He hadn't thought he'd needed to. It wasn't something a lot of elves did, much less the male ones.

"Then you're getting them. It's a good thing we don't have to show you off seriously for a few days." And at once, his life was at the whim of another. And he had let it happen. The other females had finally shuffled back with what looked like miles of fabric and a weary look crossed his face as they meandered over to him. "Perfect! Now let's get it on him."

His grumbles went unheeded as he was pushed and pulled into the layers of fabric, skirts making him feel heavy and the corset somehow being yanked tighter still so that he had a perfect 'girlish' figure. His bodice was only mildly stuffed after that, and he heard some vague mention of having something sewn so it didn't have to happen again. He couldn't help but tug at the lace at his throat, and his hand was swatted away.

"Don't mess with that."

He dropped his hand to his side as they stood back to inspect him finally, and fervently wished for a mirror so that he could see just what he had been pulled into. The three of them whispered between each other for a long moment, then one flitted off to the side and came back. "Lean down."

He did, then he had the oddest sensation of something gummy being pressed to his lips. Getting up was more the problem, and the girl was behind him in a second and pulling him upright again. "You're right, the darker the color, the better."

Rouge. He was sure of it. Kid gloves were fitted over his hands next, then he was pulled over in front of a full length mirror. What he saw was certainly not himself. In fact, he was almost sure it wasn't him, but a picture of someone else.

He couldn't see his feet, but the bottom two ruffles extended past the black lace trim on the bottom of the skirt. From there, dark green led upward to his taken in waist, spilling over the bustle in another ruffle of black lace. The top half was done up in the same shade of green, with a bodice of pale blue. There was a ruffle at his throat, and a black jacket trimmed with the same blue along the edges. The small bit of makeup made his lips stand out in a dusky rose color, and his hair was neatly pulled back. He had no idea how she'd managed to put ringlets into it in such a short amount of time, but there they were, hanging from what seemed like a high ponytail, though twin locks were pulled back more loosely, over his ears, though the tips were still exposed. Overall, he looked...feminine. More than he had ever before.

"He'll definitely do."

"If we can get past his voice. Right?"

"Good point. Can you try to make your voice higher?"

He looked at the three standing behind him and cleared his throat a little before trying. "Will this do?"

"...nevermind. Just don't talk unless it's a whisper. Got it? You don't understand people, we're your translators."

He nodded just a little. His voice was indeed fairly deep, and he kept a hand pressed to his abdomen. Not talking was just fine with him. He had the feeling that talking in any degree would actually be painful. So he wouldn't, and people would be happy with him for it.

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><p>The first week passed in a blur. He was introduced to many people, pretended to talk to several of them via his translators, and given so many gowns that he didn't know what to do with them all. He was assured, at least, that he wouldn't have to keep them unless he truly wanted them. There were perks to this sort of life, he supposed, and when the girls told him that they had scheduled things for two months in the future, he couldn't bring himself to care. So it would be three months total in a corset and so many yards of fabric that he would never have worn under any normal circumstance.<p>

He was sure they wouldn't have allowed him out alone, but they were more nighttime butterflies for parties than he was. And the middle of the day was hardly a time for meetings, so he felt safe in going. He'd managed to pull on a gown with a corset in a pale blue, and a hat was perched on his head, braids trailing back to a small coif near the base of his neck. He held a little purse by a loop over his wrist, and looked in shop windows as he walked along. There was the normal murmur as he passed, and it kept a faint smile on his lips. People normally would stand aside for him, and it was a good thing because he was so easily distracted now. He hadn't taken time before to just look at some of the things girls would be interested in, and now he made the conscious effort to.

It was while he was distracted that he walked right into a wall. A warm wall. His hand came up to steady himself, and he slowly looked up as the grinning, bearded face of the man he had literally just walked into. He had never thought himself inclined to men before but as his gaze ran up from the broad chest, he followed the line of his throat to that trimmed beard and higher still. It framed full lips that looked like they'd done their share of kissing already. His nose was straight, likely never broken, and when he finally lifted his gaze to those eyes, he felt like he didn't have any secrets anymore. Those soulful chocolate eyes were staring into his with, dare he say, a bit of amusement.

That small emotion made him step back just a small bit and finally drop his hand. "My apologies," he whispered, keeping to what the girls had told him before. Almost demurely, he turned his gaze to the side, very well aware that his cheeks were flushed.

"Oh, just my fault for standing here, that's all." Oh so that was what he sounded like. A nice, smooth, deep voice that literally sent tingles up and down his spine. Shaking his head, he stepped to the side went around him, despite wanting to linger and get to know why he seemed to always be smiling.

Still, he couldn't quite help himself from pausing and looking back after going down the street a distance. He was startled to see those brown eyes watching him still and he was sure his cheeks flamed even redder as he turned and quickly made his way around a corner. Perhaps it would be best to go back to the townhouse that he was calling his own for the moment.

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><p>The flurry of activity that came with his return made his head spin, even after the time he spent getting used to it. Apparently, there was a party somewhere that he needed to attend, and the only way it would work was if his corset was pulled as tight as it could be (which meant his waist looked like a twig, in his opinion) and the dress was of the most fashionable design it possibly could be. Which meant that it was still high necked, the sleeves were a bit see through but to his wrists, and lacey gloves tipped his hands. The skirt of the dress would, of course, be full with a bustle, and ruffles would fall to the floor. They seemed very fond of putting him in blues and greens, and tonight was no exception. The dress of the evening was of the palest shade of blue, to complement his tattoos, they said, and had a darker blue trim.<p>

It took them two entire hours to constrict him in the unbearable corset, put him in the gown, then do up his hair and makeup. There would be no hat for it, and his hair curled delicately around his ears and a stray lock curved down his neck, following a dark blue trim line. His eyes were shaded with a dark blue that somehow, according to the girls, made his eyes seem greener, and he was once again wearing a subtle rouge.

And that was how he went to the party. It wasn't surprising that the room quieted on his entering it, and he felt a little self-conscious, knowing that they all believed he was a woman. The young woman clad in a medium shade of blue at his side acted as his 'interpreter', and he kept silent for the majority of the introductions.

It wasn't until he saw a broad chest clad in a stark white shirt and a deep red waistcoat above tanned pants that he sucked in a breath. Looking just a little bit further up, he could see the same beard from earlier that day, the same smile on those full lips, and definite humor dancing in those warm chocolate eyes. He almost broke the rule of not talking when a voice at his side introduced him under his false name, and he paid attention to the name of the man that he couldn't currently tear his eyes from. Garrett Hawke.

"It is my pleasure, m'lady." The taller man caught his hand and pressed a kiss to his knuckles, and for a moment, he thought he might actually be even more ladylike and faint, purely from having him as close as he was. He barely managed the faint nod, but couldn't keep from staring as the man, Garrett, straightened up. For just a second, they were so close that he could smell the soap he'd used earlier, could see where the blade from the straight-edged razor had sliced into his skin right along his beardline. Then he moved away and he let go of the breath he'd been holding. There was a knowing look in Garrett's eyes before the man turned away from him, and he only spared himself a second before leaning down to his companion and telling her, very softly that he needed a breath of air. There was a nod and he was led to a balcony and left alone as she went to find him a drink.

In private, his shoulders rounded out just a little and he leaned on the balcony's railing for a moment with his hand pressed just under the fake breasts that were now sewed into a chemise that he almost always wore. A soft scuffle of shoes alerted him to someone else's presence and he looked up, about to thank the woman for his drink. But someone infinitely larger filled the open space between the draperies. He tried to step back, but was met once again by the railing.

As the man stepped from the awning into the moonlight, he almost breathed a sigh of relief. It was Garrett again, for the third time today. And he had two glasses of wine in his hand. One was held out to him wordlessly, and he took it with a nod of thanks, lifting it to sip at it daintily.

"So what is a lovely young lady like you doing out here by your lonesome?" He looked up at the sound of that rich voice but didn't answer, merely tipping his head a bit to one side. He wasn't supposed to understand and it wasn't at all ladylike to suddenly complain of the tightness of a corset. "So you really can't understand me, huh?" He blinked a few times, as if in confusion, when the man leaned down to stare him in the eyes.

"What would you do if I told you I thought you were more beautiful this afternoon when you weren't so done up for everyone?" He couldn't stop his cheeks from heating a little at that and turned his face away from obvious scrutiny. "Well, maybe you understand, but you don't speak the right language. That's halfway in the right direction."

Right direction? For what? If the man was thinking on truly courting him, he'd be sorely disappointed by the end of the courtship. He was hardly what people thought he was. Still, as the taller human shifted closer, he couldn't help but relish in the heat that he was giving off. Maybe the entire thing of understanding but not speaking it would work out well.

"Would you care to dance..?" There was a gesture made to where people were shuffling around in the large open space inside, and he pretended, briefly, to consider it while sipping the wine before nodding. The glass was taken from his hand to be set next to the empty one on the balcony, then he lightly laid his hand on the proferred arm and followed him out.

Of all the things they'd taught him when preparing for this, dancing hadn't been one of them. As he was drawn to the middle of the dance floor, he gazed at the people around him rather than at his companion. Placement of hands, it seemed, was everything. So when Garrett took his right hand, he placed his left on his shoulder lightly, then they were moving. He was mostly shuffling his feet until he figured out just how they were supposed to move, and when he looked up into the other's eyes, he felt what little breath he had being stolen away again.

He was sure that something about the human was doing it to him, but he couldn't bring himself to really care as those brown eyes met his own. Suddenly the heat from his hand seemed to burn through both the dress and corset at his waist, and he felt himself leaning in a little closer as the room swirled around them with the lively music. Surely this was not anywhere near part of the ladies' plan for him to be their princess. No, he was positive that they would not approve of his desire for a man that was seeing him as a woman. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to care as his eyes dropped to those sinful lips that were even now curving up into a smile.

Leaning in a little closer made him feel just a bit dizzier, and he felt the hand at his waist slide further around to his back to draw him closer. He'd tell himself later that it was for support as he leaned against that warm chest gratefully. The hand that had been resting on Garrett's shoulder slipped a little, sliding around so that his arm was curled around the others, palm on the back of his shoulder now in a much more intimate embrace.

The soft chuckle right in his ear should have made him pull away, but he only settled closer and closed his eyes. The music faded away as he breathed in the faintly musky smell of the other man. Each breath made him feel a little more light-headed, and he was somewhat startled when he was finally set back and the human started clapping for the end of the song. He belatedly did the same, then allowed himself to be guided off the floor. Another kiss was laid on his knuckles, and he was left to watch as the man glided away, only vaguely registering a tug on his elbow. It was Marie, his 'translator', and he shifted to go with her instead, one hand lifting to press against his cheek. Sure enough, it felt like it was burning.

It was a relief to be pulled back onto an empty balcony with cool air brushing his face. He didn't even notice that Marie was angry with him until he was yanked down to meet her, eye to eye.

"Just what do you think you're doing!"

"I was...not thinking-"

"Of course you weren't thinking! You should know better than to gallivant off without me and dancing! Of all things! You made a spectacle of yourself!" As she railed at him, she paced, her heels clicking sharply on the stone under her feet.

"I was merely-"

"Making a fool of yourself! If you lead that man on he'll expect something! And you won't be able to deliver what he expects!" Despite his want to just yell back, he understood her point and let his gaze drop to where she was still swiftly pacing. He couldn't lead on any of the men, or they might find out his secret. Acting as he had would not only put this little trickery in jeopardy, but it could very well lead to emotional repercussions if he truly liked whoever it was.

"I ...understand. I will not do it again." Nevermind that he'd found a good reason for continuing this charade, it was likely that nothing would come of it. After all, how could something good come out of getting a man interested when they all thought he was female?

Marie eyed him for a long moment then nodded, a shrewd look in her blue eyes. "Good. Now we're going to go out and mingle, and you are going to ignore that man." She led the way briskly, letting him follow. He kept his eyes lowered until they hit the dance floor, then replaced his mask of indifference. She was steering him neatly clear of Garrett, and while part of him was happy for it, part of him wished he could tell her to go jump in the river and just tell the other man his secret.

But it wasn't to be. Marie skillfully kept whisking him away to see other things when the man even remotely approached him. It was a little annoying, and by the end of the evening, he listened to her make his apologies for him while he was worrying his lower lip. Nothing seemed to be going his way lately. He wanted to get to know someone, and he was caught by a role that he'd been almost forced into.

Perhaps tomorrow would be another day.

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><p>Except that he didn't see Garrett Hawke for three weeks. He'd kept looking for him at every function he was dragged out too, and had taken to wearing almost nothing when he wasn't going out because he was tired. He was almost literally their dress-up doll, and he lost count of how many gowns had been thrust into his hands for him to look at and decide 'yes' or 'no'. There was also the problem of the corset. He was sure that they were slowly tightening it more and more. Moving around was simple, but he found that quick movements while wearing the damn thing often made him light-headed.<p>

And so they went to another evening party. This time the dress was closer fitting, and he'd had to figure out a way to hide a certain appendage so it wouldn't show through the silky material. While the girls had offered helpful suggestions behind a screen, he'd turned a furious shade of red until something had worked.

At first, he'd rejected the evening gown out of hand, not liking the pale, peachy color, but after they'd slipped it on him, to show him how it was, he had to admit that they had been right. The paleness definitely showed off his skin tone and made it seem a little darker, so he couldn't fault them for that. The risque neck line had been talked over with a tailor, and he'd raised it so, rather than showing off cleavage, it was resting just under his collarbone, but still hanging slightly off his shoulders. The sleeves were completely loose, and hanging to his wrists with more gauzy fabric that would likely tickle his hands when moving. The skirt itself fell to the floor and pooled a little, even with the low heels he was wearing, and he was certain that the fabric shimmered as he twisted to see himself in the mirror. Light makeup accented his eyes and lips again, and they deemed him once again ready to go out.

Once again he was introduced, and once again Marie was at his side. This time, personal introductions weren't priority, and he drifted forward with Marie at his side. He couldn't help the way his eyes cast around the room, searching for someone he'd met only formally once. While Marie was talking to someone at his side, he shifted a small bit away from her and into the crowd, getting a little lost in it as he relished the small bit of freedom it provided.

And once again, felt like he walked into a brick wall. This time, it was a green brick wall, and as his lace-covered hand pressed against it so he could make some gesture of apology, the hand was covered and he was pulled, rather rapidly, from the crowd and off to the side. He couldn't stop it from happening, but as he finally looked up at the man pulling him away, he realized that it was Garrett and felt a small thrill run through him.

"Don't say anything," the man said quietly as he pulled them into a curtained alcove, effectively hiding them from view. "I don't want that shrew you call a translator catching us."

He barely squashed his laugh, a hand lifting to cover his mouth. It was then that he heard the call of "My lady?" coming from somewhere close by and he was suddenly pulled against that brick wall again. The warmth that came through the thick fabric was amazing, and he had to fight to not curl into it as Marie's heels clicked on sharply past them.

"Well that was close..." The words were breathed into his ear, moving the jewels that were dangling and making him shiver. He shifted enough to look up into those chocolate eyes, amusement very clear on his face, and reflected in the taller man's. "I've been wanting to see you again, but every time I try, she's just..._there_. Kills any hope of even seeing you smile, I think."

A thumb was suddenly smoothing just under his lower lip and his breath caught as he realized how close they were. Marie would have been screaming "indecent" at him if she even caught a glimpse of it. He could feel the other's warmth from his chest down to his thighs, and his arm was very firm around his waist.

And then there were lips on his, gently coaxing his own apart until he was being tasted like a fine wine. He was both embarrassed and happy for the high-pitched, almost wanton sound that escaped him as he leaned as close as he could. It seemed to go on forever, and by the time the human had drawn back the barest bit, he was taking as deep of breaths as he possibly could, feeling more light-headed than usual.

The problem was...the feeling wasn't going away. A stray strand of hair was tucked behind his ear, then he was aware that something was being said. He couldn't hear the words over the roar in his ears, and he felt himself being set away a little. He could understand the curse that escaped the other's lips somehow, then he was spun, adding to the dizzy feeling, and fingers were pulling at the stays on the back of his gown. There was no embarrassment though, as the laces on his corset were yanked loose, then the lower ones were pulled so he could breathe freely again. And he greedily sucked in a breath, eyes closing. Apparently when he had thought that the corset was too tight, it truly was.

The words "Thank you" were on his lips, and he had to bite them back, only belatedly reaching up to clutch his gown to his chest and hold it up while casting his gaze back at the other man who was carefully relacing the corset for him. It was still tight by the time he got to the top lace, but nowhere near as restricting to his lungs as it had been. Then he was working on the stays again, and he allowed himself a little smile at the mutters he was hearing, all of which were damning the tiny hooks. Drawing his hair aside when Garrett got high enough, he heard a murmur of thanks before the last one was even fastened.

"Is that better?" He nodded a little in response and turned again, hand still pressed to his chest as if keeping the gown firmly in place. He still felt a little dizzy, but as he was drawn close again, it didn't really matter. He could breathe, and those amazingly warm arms were around him again. If only the human knew he was a male under all the trappings, the world would be perfect. He had to keep it in mind as he was led further past the draperies and out into a moonlit guarden. He shifted so that his hand was at the crook of Garrett's arm, and walked silently beside him.

It was peaceful, calm, and he couldn't imagine anything better. Words weren't needed as he settled close to the taller man's side, and he closed his eyes briefly, letting himself be led. If he listened hard enough, he could still hear the music from the party drifting out over the still night. Apparently Garrett could hear it as well. He was pulled around in a circle and he let his hand move to the other's shoulder as the other man's found his waist again. This time, they danced without having other people watching them. Slow circles and little smiles, and no one to intrude or pull Fenris away.

He felt like they'd been there for hours, just dancing the evening away. Somehow, slowly, they'd gotten closer while they danced, and he was once again slow-dancing with him, resting his cheek against his shoulder. They'd long since stopped keeping the traditional foot of space between them, and his arms were instead wrapped around his shoulders, with Garrett's around his waist. He could have happily stayed that way the entire evening, even with the human sometimes murmuring things in his ear.

Even when they'd drifted far enough away to where the music wasn't able to be heard, they still danced. And when Hawke stopped him and caught his chin to kiss him again, he let it happen. He was no fool; he knew he was falling, fast and hard, for this charming man. He may have not said one word to him, he was well aware of the attraction he felt. Even if they could never truly be together, he thought that he might just spend the rest of his time in this charade just being with him. No matter how much it would hurt at the end to pull away and simply be himself, he wanted the feeling of love that he could have while simply being with him.

It wasn't until no whisper of music drifted to them that Garrett finally suggested that they go back inside. He could only nod in response, curling his hand around his arm and resting his cheek against his shoulder as they turned to walk in. The little smile that lingered on his lips was both due to the idea of finding Marie again, and for the way his entire evening had been spent.

No one saw them at first as several of the guests were saying their goodbyes, and for the moment, Fenris basked in not being in the limelight. A whisper in his ear made him straighten up though, his arm slipping until just his hand was at the crook of his elbow. Marie was hurrying toward them, her expression both relieved and perhaps a little angry. A small smile quirked his lips and he glanced up at Garrett, perfectly happy in the knowledge that he spent his evening the way he had truly wanted without someone else telling him he couldn't.

When she glared pointedly at the hold he had on his partner's arm, he slipped his hand free and nodded a goodbye to the human before going back over to her side. He waved to him as she grabbed his other hand and pulled him along, and nothing she said was really registered as she took them out to their waiting carriage. His mind kept drifting back to the other man's smile, his soft laugh, and the way those lips had felt on his own. The memories were enough to keep him daydreaming the entire way back to the townhouse, and he cut Marie off mid-rant to tell her goodnight before heading up the stairs to the room he called his own.

The sounds of frustration were only a perk as he readied himself for bed.

* * *

><p>It seemed as if they had set it up so that he was only attending things that Garrett Hawke hadn't the pleasure to attend, and despite his best efforts, he just couldn't find him during the day. Weeks seemed to speed by without hide nor hair of the man, and he was starting to wonder if the night had just been a dream. It didn't keep him from looking though, and he went out with two of them again in the afternoon to look at yet more dresses. He was getting tired of having to wear them, but he kept telling himself that he only had one more month of it to go through.<p>

He stayed behind the two ladies dutifully, keeping his gaze on the ground. Garrett had been a welcome distraction during the past couple of weeks, and the women hadn't been able to pull him from those distractions for anything. Even now, he was still thinking of that night. He was so deep in thought that he barely registered the hand that clamped over his mouth before he was dragged off into a little alleyway on the side and then down it, away from his escorts. It wasn't until they were halfway to the other end that he finally started to fight his would-be captor.

His elbow jammed, very quickly, into the man's solar plexus and his short heel came down on the poor man's toe at the same time, causing the man to yell behind him and right in his ear. Thankfully, the hold that he had on him was loosened and he jerked away, twisting to look at his assailant.

Then he was just horrified by who it was exactly. Standing there on one foot, one hand over his stomach, was the very man he'd been thinking about for weeks. The words, I'm sorry, sprang to his lips, and he viciously bit them back. The temptation to talk was just great, and he took a hesitant step forward, one hand lifted as if to touch the other man.

"Stop...enough touching for a few minutes." Garrett's voice came out a little strangled and he dropped his hand, a helpless look coming over his face. "At least...I don't have to worry about you getting attacked."

Worry? Why would he worry about him like that? Most men would brush off an evening like theirs, but apparently not this one. It took Hawke a moment before he was setting his foot down again gingerly, then he took the proferred hand. "Let's get away from your bodyguards, shall we?"

He had to hide a laugh behind his hand and nodded. Then he was being pulled away with less terror this time, escaping from the endless dresses for a day of fun. This wasn't the first time he'd been kidnapped by Garrett, nor was it likely to be the last, if they could have anything to do about it.

But he still felt guilty over it. This human was a very sweet person, from what little he knew of him, and the fact that he was deceiving him constantly was starting to wear on him in the worst manner. He barely registered where he was being pulled off to until he saw the park just ahead. A quick thought to being thankful his dress was green passed through his head, then he smiled at Garrett when he looked back to him. It was about then that he realized he couldn't keep up the charade anymore. Even if it made him get pushed away, he had to tell him just what was going on, and just hope that he wasn't left behind.

He was a little surprised when Hawke pulled out a blanket and laid it out on the ground for them, though he smiled faintly at the aid in sitting under the tree. Worrying his lower lip between his teeth, he almost startled at the sudden warmth of Garrett next to him and leaned into him just a little. How did one that appeared to be mute speak to someone to tell them that they were the other gender?

"...Garrett." He could tell his voice startled the other man by the way he jerked, and he'd even kept his own soft so that the deepness of it might not have seemed as out of place as it could be.

"...so that's what you sound like. I was beginning to wonder." The wonderful smile on his face almost took away his plans of telling him the truth and he felt his heart beat a thundering tempo in his chest. "Say my name again."

It was an order, and he looked down to where his hands were folded in his lap, telling himself that he had to go through with it. "...Garrett... I...need to tell you something."

"What? Is it the reason you seem to speak perfect English despite having a 'translator' around? Because if it's just because of your voice being like it is, I happen to like it." The words almost took his courage away again and he straightened up despite the nibbles that were being delivered to his ear now.

"It..is in part, yes. I ... am not a female, Garrett." There, he'd said it. Now the human would either laugh, tell him it was a funny joke, or be disgusted, surely.

What came was something he really didn't expect.

"Oh I knew that already." He was sure his mouth was hanging open in shock, but the human simply continued. "There's no way your breasts could have been real, not after that first night, too soft. That's why I kidnapped you the second night. Your corset being too tight was just icing on the cake really. When I loosened the gown and the corset, you didn't cover up your chest soon enough..you're flatter than I am," the last words were delivered with a dry chuckle.

He opened his mouth several times, then shut it just as many, utterly confused and bewildered. That he'd kept him out the entire night after finding that out for sure spoke volumes of what the man preferred, and the elation that was growing in his chest was quickly making it hard to breathe again.

"...Oh damn, is it the corset again?" A quick shake of his hand made Garrett's hand stop from unbuttoning the trail of small buttons going up his back and he shifted on the blanket to just turn against him.

His voice was muffled by the broad chest when he spoke again. "I thought you'd push me away for sure...all because of this stupid charade..."

"Oh so this isn't just a hobby of yours..?" He was being teased, and a quick peek upward showed him that the other man's mouth was curved in a wide smile.

"I'm afraid that I would normally wear leggings over a skirt and corset, so no." He couldn't keep the smile from his voice.

"Aw damn, I was just hoping to see you only in a corset and stockings someday."

Those words made him jerk back and the grin on Garrett's face made him dissolve into soft laughter as he leaned back against him. "Perhaps someday I'll oblige you, but I prefer my pants to this."

"Well then maybe you can tell me exactly why you're wearing this ridiculous getup?" There was a curious tone to the other's voice, and he closed his eyes before quietly relating the tale of how he was roped into it, fingers lightly smoothing over the soft hair of Garrett's arms. Put in simple terms, it really did sound like he had been dragged into it without any say in the matter, but then again, he wasn't relating how he'd been an indentured servant either.

Garrett had simply listened quietly, and when his tale was over, he glanced up to see a little smile on his face. "Was it amusing then?"

"A bit, though I have to admit, I might not have been paying as much attention to the words as I should have. I like your voice."

His cheeks heated up amazingly fast and he hid his face against his hands. If nothing else, the man surely knew how to embarrass him in an instant, but at the very least, it was nothing but compliments.

"Maybe you can sneak out without the dress next week, and we can actually go out to have some fun without your ladies, hm?" The suggestion made him nod and he was pulled back again against a warm chest. Strong fingers caught his chin to tip his face up again, and he let out a soft 'mm' as those beautiful lips covered his once again.

Today couldn't be more perfect. And after his time in the dress was over and done with for good, he'd find a way to stay with Garrett. Of course, if that meant he'd still have to wear all the trappings in public, he would. Apparently everyone else thought he was a good girl, and if he had to be in order to enjoy the other's company for the rest of his life, he certainly would.

* * *

><p>AN: Let me know what you thought!<p> 


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